TOPIC: EVENTS

Vocabulary
1. Religious: tôn giáo
2. Pagan: người ngoại đạo
3. Christian: người theo đạo Thiên chúa
4. Muslim: người theo đạo Phật
5. Reunion: tụ họp
6. Ritual: lễ nghi
7. Festivity: lễ hội
e.g: The royal wedding was an occasion of great festivity
8. Ceremony: lễ
9. Folklore (= myth): văn học dân gian, thần thoại
10. Customary = traditional: theo phong tục truyền thống
11. Long-established =time-honored:lâu đời
12. Pay respects to: tôn trọng
13. Pay tribute to: vinh danh
14. VERB + FESTIVAL have, hold | attend, go to, visit | organize | celebrate, observe| appear at, take part in
Example.The school has taken part in the festival since 1997.
15. FESTIVAL + VERB take place | begin, open, start | attract sb
Example.The festival attracts thousands of visitors every year.
16. PREP. at/on a/the + FESTIVAL
Example.The pilgrims who arrived on major festivals.
17. Spring festival: hội xuân
18. Family reunion: đoàn tụ gia đình
Example: A family reunion is an occasion when many members of an extended family congregate
19. Five-fruit tray: mâm ngũ quả
Example: A five-fruit tray which cannot be missed in Tet holiday is the symbol for the admiration and
gratitude of the Vietnamese to Heaven and Earth and their ancestors to express their aspiration for
prosperity, good luck, good health and happiness.
20. Dragon dancers: múa lân
Example: Dragon dance is a form of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture.
21. Worship the ancestors: thờ cúng tổ tiên
Example: The custom of worshiping ancestors is a beautiful, rich, and colorful and joyful tradition in
Vietnamese culture.
22. Lucky money: tiền lì xì
23. Red envelope: phong bao lì xì
Example: Vietnamese have had the tradition of giving small children lucky money in red envelope on the first
day of Lunar New Year
24. Tet holiday (Vietnamese New Year): Tết Nguyên Đán
Vietnamese New Year is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam.
25. Hung Kings Commemorations – 10/03: Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương
26. Hung Kings’ Temple Festival: Lễ hội đền Hùng
The Hùng Kings’ Temple Festival is a Vietnamese festival held annually from the 8th to the 11th days of the
third lunar month in honour of the Hùng Vương or Hùng Kings.
27. Latern Festival – 15/1: Tết Nguyên tiêu- Rằm tháng Giêng
The Lantern Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, is a vastly celebrated holiday
throughout East Asia
28. Mid-Autumn Festival – 15/8: Tết trung thu
Besides the Tet Holiday, the Mid-Autumn festival is one of the most famous festivals and it is a traditional
celebration for Vietnamese children.
29. New Year’s Day: Ngày đầu năm mới
Ex: New Year’s Day, also called simply New Year’s or New Year, is observed on January 1, the first day of the
year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar.
30. New Year’s Eve: đêm giao thừa
Ex: In the Gregorian calendar, New Year’s Eve, the last day of the year, is on December 31 which is the
seventh day of the Christmas season
31. Easter: Lễ Phục Sinh
Ex: It’s Easter morning and we’re on our way to church.
32. May Day: Ngày quốc tế Lao động
Ex: May Day is a public holiday usually celebrated on May 1
33. Christmas: Lễ giáng sinh
Ex: The Christmas tree could only be seen from the back of the house, but that didn’t matter.
34. Boxing Day: Ngày lễ tặng quà
Ex: Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day. It originated in the United Kingdom, and
is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire.
35. Thanksgiving: Lễ Tạ Ơn
Ex: In the meantime, Thanksgiving was coming up – and then Christmas.
36. Halloween: Lễ hội hóa trang Halloween
Ex: You know, the full moon is two days before Halloween this month.
37. Rich tradition – There is a rich tradition of music and dance in Sweden. ( giàu truyền thống)
38. Cultural heritage – Jazz is part of the cultural heritage of the southern United States. ( di sản văn hóa)
39. Festive season – The event marks the beginning of the festive season. ( mùa lễ hội)
40. Dates back – The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages.
Speaking questions (part 2)
Describe a happy event of your life.
You should say:
 what it was
 when it happened
 where it happened
 and explain why it was a happy event.
Model Answer:
I am thankful to the Almighty because of the many happy events, which I am blessed with, in my life from the day I
started to understand the world around me. But, such happy events become even more meaningful when we are
able to share them with other people so that they are also elated. So, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to
share one such happy event with you here.

The event took place about a few years ago in my hometown when I was really busy looking for a new job, after
quitting my previous job, and I just didn’t have enough time or interest in helping anybody else except myself. But,
that was not to happen because, incidentally, I also happened to be a “founding member” of a local “charity” club in
my hometown which used to help the local residents in time of their needs, especially, if they were seriously ill. So,
when some of the members from my charity club came to me with a news that one of the residents in our
neighbourhood was suffering from “blood cancer” and that he needed a huge amount of money (which the patient
didn’t have because of his rather poor financial situation) to get proper treatment, me and my charity club members
were left with no choice but to act swiftly to collect enough funds for him. But, collecting such a huge sum of money
within such a short period of time, as we literally had to knock on every door in my hometown for help, was not an
easy task at all. Anyway, we finally succeeded, but the happiest moment came when the doctor had informed me
that the patient would carry on to live some more years.

It was indeed a very happy moment of my life because I could help a terminally-ill person save his life and be
together with his family again, especially at a time when he lost all his hopes. Besides, the event also made me
realize that we can solve “mountain” of problems if we work together.

Speaking questions (part 3)

How do people celebrate public events?
I would say a gathering with food, alcohol, friends, and family is the most common way to celebrate an event across
the world. More specifically, for events such as New Years, people like to crowd a central area, such as the main
square, usually for a concert or some sort of speaker or count down. Furthermore, people tend to like using
fireworks, bells, airhorns or even just shouting when they feel excited about something.
Do you think it is important to celebrate events?
I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I think it’s nice to celebrate events to have something to look forward
to (feel excited for) throughout the year, but I dislike the pressure aspect of special events. For example, people tend
to get so stressed about buying gifts and decorating their homes during the Christmas season that they forget to
simply enjoy their time with family and friends. However, when I think about it, I couldn’t imagine life without
celebrating special events.

Should events be prepared in advance?

I would say so. When we procrastinate (wait to do something until the last minute), it tends to cause things to get
pretty hectic (crazy) at the last minute. However, when we plan too far in advance, it may not go as planned, as
things tend to change. For example, maybe an unexpected event arises which causes the plan to change. On the
other hand, I don’t think we should plan every detail in advance, as I’ve found that sometimes the spontaneous
(unplanned) moments are the most enjoyable. So, all in all, it’s about balance. I’d like to have a rough plan (an idea
but not a strict plan) of the event in advance, but not overly detailed nor several months in advance.

Why do you think some people like parties but others hate them?
Most people like parties because they have a good time at them - eating a nice meal, chatting to friends, or having a
dance. People who don't like them might find social situations difficult because they are shy, or maybe they don't
enjoy having to make small talk with people they don't know.